Telltale and switch for rear signal-lights for automobiles.



w. r. SENG.

TELLTALE AND SWITCH FOR REAR SIGNAL LIGHTS FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED nc.24, l9|5- 1.216,370. Patented Feb 20,1917.

8MB 8/ 1 INVENTOR.

WE NDELIN P. 'SENG, OF CHICAGO ILLINOIS.

TELLTALE AND SWI'ICH FOR BEAR SIGNAL-LIGHTS FOB AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 20, 191

Application filed December 24, 1915. Serial No. 88,573.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. lVnNnEL m P. qENG, a eitizen of the United States.residing at Chieago, in the eonnty of (00k and State of I linois. haveinvented a new and useful" 'lelltale and Switch for Bear Signal-Lightsfor Autonmbiles, of which the following is a spet ification.

' 1y inventi m relates to a new and improved switch for the operation ofthe rear signal. lights of automobiles wherel'iy the driver mayindieateto the drivers ,of those automobiles fl olltrwimg his intentionto either stop or turn at a crossing.

lleretofore, in the use of sueh rear, signals. the driver or operator oithe automobile employing the same could never be positive. when heoperated the si; nal switeh. that the signed-light was :u-tuallylighted. and in some instances sueh has been found to he the ease, byreason of burned out lamps, interfei rnee with the eireuit'. &(t.

lly my invention. however. I obviate this disadvantage and danger. byarranging a tell-tale lamp or light within the view of thedrivelwol'un'atmx so that he (ran. by a glam-e and without leaving: hisseat. immistakahly see when he throws the switch, whether the signaldampis lighted.

lVith sueh general objects in view. the in vention consists in arrangingthe signallamp switch in a convenient manner and preferably immediatelyunder the steeringwheel and in clear view of the driver and ineonneeting the same with a tell-tale lamp arranged in eireuitrwith thesignal'lamps and therefore designed to indicate when the same are notlighted.

elevation; and.

Fig. 3 a detail in elevation of the switeh, parts shown .in section. andillustrating the same eminerted up with the usual signal lights andoperating battery.

Similar nun'ierals of retort-nee indicate similar parts in allthefigures of the drawing.

1n carrying out my invention, I preferably employ a tubular housing 1.and mount 'the same on the steering-post '2, immediately below thesteering-win el 3, of an automobile. whereby not only thehereinafter-desci-il'ied switch within easy reach of the hand of thedriver 'vhile operating the wheel, but the housing itself is in fullview of the driver's eye. Bayonet-slots 4 (see dotted lines Fig. 2). waybe formed in the.

end of the housing. and the latter closed by a cap or eover 5. fromWlllGl'l short studs 6 may project into said slots, whereby the cover isreadily removable.

lunm-diatel y in rear of the cover the front end of the tubular housingis occupied by' an insulating disk or plug 7. from which may radiatesllortssturls 8. removably engaging l):l \'()ll( t'$l()tS 9. wherebysaid plug and the parts carried thereby may be readily removed;

l pon the rear fare f the insulating disk or plug: T. is pivotallymounted-by a screw 10. at one'side of the 'enter of the disk or plug.asegzim-ntally sh iped switch-platen, adapted to oseillate to eitherside of its pivot. This switrhdute is provided with an operatinndiandle12. which extends radially and through a slot 13 in the housing and (-apto a point imn ediately adjacent the steering-wlu-el It is also providedat opposite sides of its pivot '10 with the radial rontaet shoulders 14ard 15. I

- .\t opposite sides of the center of the insulatine' disk or pl ug :relocated stationary eontarts'1fi-and 1T. inning their inner ends bent atan angle to firm narrow contactflanges 16 and 17, respectively, whichflanges are in annulai alinement with the shoulders H and 15.1esliectively. That is to say, by 1novin; the switch in one direction.in this instance. to the left. the contactshonlder 'l-l thereof \"illContact with the eontarrt flange 16 and y moving the switch to theright. theeontart-shoulder 15 thereof will contact with tlu rontartflange 17. The switrh may be hel l' in its neutral or in operativeposition by m'eansof a small spriiur-rn'essetl detent 1S. engaging witha vol-responding! eouuter: ink 11) formed in the inner side of theswitch.

20 designates'a smal electric lamp, which 1 term the tell-tale. 't ismounted in any mmvenient manner. on: preferably as herein shown. on theinsulating." disk or plug 7. and imnualiately in line with a smallorifice or sight-op ning :21. formed in the upper side of the tubularhousing in direct line with the vision of the driver or at any otherconvenient point.

In the present instance, the lamp is removably mounted in a tubularsocket 22, having a'bayonet-slot 23, for engaging a pin 24 projectingfrom the side of the lamp,.the socket itself beii'lgg, suppofited on therear face of the insulating dis]! or plug by means of a leg 25, securedin position by means of a screw 26, passed ,through the inner flangedend of the leg and into said disk or plug.

'27 and 28 indicate two contactarms, preferably fomnedofspring material.The arm 27, leads from the switch-plate, being electrically secured tothe same by means of the screw 10, while the arm 28 leads from and isheld in position, preferably under the inner bent end of' the leg 25, bymeans of the screw 26. The outer ends of these arms, it

will be understood, are laterally bent and extend into thepaths of theelectric-terminals of the lamp, and therefore lie within the socket 23.

To illustrate the application of the invention, I have shown inconnection with Fig. 3, the conventional form of rear signal, the samebeing designated as 29. This includes the usual transparencies upon oneof which, designated as 30, appears an arrow pointing to the left, andabove the same, the word, Turn, so that when illuminated by the therein,the driver lIl',

lightingof the lam dicates that he is a out to turn to the left. The comanion transparency, 31, carries the word t top, andwhen illuminatedindicates that the driver is about to stop, these signalsbeing used forthe benefit of those drivers following, whereby to prevent rear-, I havealso illustrated the source of electrical energy-a battery 32. The

end collisions.

lamps of the two signals 30 and 31, are connected by a=conductor 33, thesame being common to both, and leading to one pole of the battery' 32.The remaining conductor 34 leads from the other pole ofthe battery, andis connected to the binding-screw 26. Conductors 3'7 and 38, leadrespectively from the binding-screws 39 and 40, employed ,for securingthe contacts 16 and 17, to the insulating disk or plug, and to thesignal{ It will be, obvious thatby moving the switch to the.

lamps within the transparencies.

left it will close the circuit through the conductors 37, 34 and 33,andthus illuminate the signal-lamp. in rear-of the'trans arencj showingthe arrow and the word Turn.

Moving the switch to the right, will close the circuit through theconductors 38, 33, and

34, and illuminate the signal-lamp in rear of the transparenc} showingthe word Stop.

In either instance, however, there. will-be included in the circuit thetclltalc lamp 20, which will not.light unless the rear signallampslight, and hence, by observing the condition of this tell-talc lampthrough the sight-opening 21, the driver will know at a glance, afterthrowing his switch, whether the signal-lamp thus connected up is doingits duty and the rear signal lashed to those drivers following. If,after throwing the switch, the telltale lamp does not light, it iscircuits and contacts, the usual-tail lightmay be-observed, but theinvention, is pril marily intended for use in connection with the rearsignal-lights, and forthe. purpose of reducing rear-end collisions asare often caused by the stopping or turning of automobiles withoutadequate warning to those behind.

By mounting the insulating disk or. plug removably in-the housing, allof the parts, including the lamp .20, may be instantly removed,inspected, and repaired if necessary. I do not, however, limit theinvention to the details herein shown and described, as I have onlyshownand described what I consider best for the accomplishment of thepurposes in view. a

Having described my invention, what I claim, is:

1. A switch for the signal-lights of automobiles and the like, the samecomprising a housing consisting of a. tubular body- .with the.pl1lg andadapte to be in circuit with each of the signal-lights tion between saidtell-tale switch.v

and a conneclamp and the 2. A switch for the signal-lights of auto--mobiles and the like, the same'compri a. tubular housing provided withmeafior attaching it to the steering-post of an automobile or otherobject and with a sightopening, a plug re'movably mounted in thehousing, a switch-lever mounted to oscillate upon the plug and havingits operating handle projectin through and beyond a. slot formed in t ehousing, electrical contacts located on the plug at opposite sides ofthe switch-lever and in the path thereof and each ada" ted to beincircuit with a.

rear signal-11g t, a tell-tale lamp located on the plug adjacent thesight-opening of the housing and adapted to be in circuit with each ofthe signal-lights, a connection be and a removable cap or closure forthe tubulaihousing.

3. A switch for the signal-lights of auto mobiles and the like, the samecomprising a tubular housing having a sight-opening and means forattaching to the steering-post of an automobile or other object, aninsulating plug removably mounted within the tubular ousing, means forsecuring the same temporarily in position therein, a removable .cap

for the end of the housing, means for temporarily locking the same, asignal-light operating switch carried by the plug, and a tell-ta e lampin circuit with the switch and signal-lights and carried by the plug,whereby the switch and tell-tale lamp may be simultaneously removed withthe plug from the housing.

4. A switch for thesignal-lights of automobiles and the like, the samecomprising a tubular housing having a sight-opening, a removable cap orcover and means for locking the same in osition on the end of thehousing, an insu ating plug removably secured in the housing, anoscillator switch pivoted on the plug ating-handle extending through andbeyond a slot formed in the housing, 0 posite electricalcontacts-secured to the p ug at opposite sides of and in the path oftheswitch and each adapted to be in circuit with a signal-light, anintermediate standard secured to the lug, a socket carried by thestandard, a te l-tale lamp within the socket adjacent thesightropeningof the housing;

and having its operan electrical cond lctin -arm extending from thepivot of the ;witc and terminating in contact with one of the contactsof the tolltale lamp, and a s Lmilar arm contacting with the rema-inincontact of said lam and connected to the ass of the intermediatestandard and adapted to be in'circuit, with each of the signal-lights.

5. A switch for the signaLlights-of automobiles and the like, the-samecomprising a housing having: a sight-opening, an insulating plug seatedin the housing, an oscillatorv switch-lever pivoted on the slug, 50

and having its (peratinghandle exten ing through and be ond a slotformed in the housing, electrical contacts secured to the plug atopposite sides of and in the path of" the switch-lever, each of saidco'ntacts being adapted to be in circuit with a signal-light, anintermediate standard secured to the plug, a socket carried by thestandard, a. tell-tale lam cent the sig 134): naming of the housing, anelectrical conducting arm extendin the switch to one of the contacts oft e telltale lamp, and a similar arm leadin to the remaining contazt'ofthe lamp, sai latter arm being mounLed on the plug and adapted to be incircuit with each 0 said signallights.

within the socket and adja-- from In testimony whereof I have signed myname to this speiification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WENDELIN P. SENG. Witnesses:

Geo. F. I-Iassnn, F. CJHU a'rrnnnn.

